Country of origin: Italy

Price: £950 upwards second-hand

The 682 Sporter came out in 1984, and I just had to have one. I was disappointed – not with its quality or appearance, but with its handling. One friend who tried it described it as a “numb lump”, and I soon sold it. Yet, in a very short time, an improved 682 became one of the most successful sporters of all time.

Aces like George Digweed and Barry Simpson used it for many of their famous victories, and there were some great wins with trap and skeet versions, too. Over time the gun has seen only a few mechanical changes, but it’s the minor tweaks which have made all of the difference. Perhaps the most radical change was the narrowing, and therefore lightening, of the action body. But the fact remains that the 682 is still capable of putting in winning performances 33 years after the basic design was conceived.

There are quite a few different versions. Perhaps the most popular is the 682 Gold, but older versions are still good buys.